Promotion

Besson's Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec

I had never heard of Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec, but it's the story of a French novelist who turns to an investigative reporter looking into recurring themes of mystical crime and the occult. Set in both pre and post World War I times in France, the story was first created in a 1972 comics anthology and then serialised in 1976.

Luc Besson has taken a shine to the stories and seems keen to start a trilogy of films based on the character and her adventures.

Les Aventures Extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec explores all sorts of themes, from occult to straight crime, including mummies and pterodactyls, but she was never involved in the war as she was cryogenically frozen through the period so that the character wouldn't become involved in it. You can read more about the stories over on Wikipedia.

According to Twitch the plot of the film is going to be very similar to the original stories.

The year is 1912. Adèle Blanc-Sec, an intrepid young reporter, will go to any lengths to achieve her aims, including sailing to Egypt to tackle mummies of all shapes and sizes.

Meanwhile, in Paris, it's panic stations! A 136 million-year old pterodactyl egg on a shelf in the natural history museum has mysteriously hatched, and the bird subjects the city to a reign of terror from the skies. But nothing fazes Adèle Blanc-Sec, whose adventures reveal many more extraordinary surprises…

…Set in the carefree world before World War I, Adèle Blanc-Sec's adventures see the brave young woman fearlessly battling crooks, corrupt politicians, demon worshippers and mad scientists. Legendary cartoonist Jacques Tardi's original stories perfectly recreate the intrigue, romance and excitement of one of the most tumultuous periods in history.

Twitch tells us that Luc Besson is set to adapt and direct the film and that they really are looking at creating a trilogy out of the stories, and that this first film will be funny as well as exciting, and that Louise Borguin is set to take the lead and Mathieu Amalric is set to star.

It sounds an interesting series, and a strong female action character in period times set against mummies and strange creatures is a bizarre combination indeed. Will it work? With Besson on the film I think it just might.